How, he asks, can we expect to make smart decisions about our future if we don’t understand the underlying concepts? This, according to Sagan, is a recipe for disaster. The average person, though, doesn’t understand how most of these things work at a fundamental level. Medicine, agriculture, communication, transportation, the economic system, and virtually all other major industries rely on the knowledge and information gained by scientists. Whether we like it or not, our world depends on science and technology in nearly every aspect of our lives. Today, Carl Sagan claims, the dangers of a scientifically illiterate society are more drastic than ever before. In The Demon-Haunted World, he tries to counteract these dangers by teaching the scientific method and encouraging the application of critical and skeptical thinking in all facets of life.Ĭontinue reading for an overview of The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan. Sagan argues that, as we advance into the 21st century and beyond, our collective ignorance of scientific methods, values, and thinking may be catastrophic to us and the world we live in. Science has taught us a great deal about the world and brought about many beneficial changes to humanity, yet we still cling to unscientific beliefs and ideas at an alarming level. Renowned astronomer and science popularizer Carl Sagan believes the world is in a precarious position. What does Carl Sagan mean when he says that the world is “demon-haunted”? What does he recommend as a solution to this problem? Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here.

Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading. This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to 'The Demon-Haunted World' by Carl Sagan.

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